Build Tui View

Build consistent Terminal User Interface views for Hatchet CLI using bubbletea

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Provides instructions for building Hatchet TUI views in the Hatchet CLI.

tui cli bubbletea lipgloss terminal-ui hatchet go interface-design
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User Prompt

I need to create a new TUI view for displaying workflow runs with columns for name, status, created date, and duration. It should use the Hatchet theme and follow the standard layout.

Skill Processing

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Agent Response

Complete TUI view implementation with header, table, footer, keyboard controls, and API integration following established patterns

Quick Start (3 Steps)

Get up and running in minutes

1

Install

claude-code skill install build-tui-view

claude-code skill install build-tui-view
2

Config

3

First Trigger

@build-tui-view help

Commands

CommandDescriptionRequired Args
@build-tui-view create-new-tui-view-for-data-listingBuild a table-based view that displays API data with proper navigation and controlsNone
@build-tui-view add-detail-view-with-navigationImplement drill-down detail views that connect to existing list viewsNone
@build-tui-view integrate-forms-and-filteringAdd interactive forms for filtering and configuration within TUI viewsNone

Typical Use Cases

Create new TUI view for data listing

Build a table-based view that displays API data with proper navigation and controls

Add detail view with navigation

Implement drill-down detail views that connect to existing list views

Integrate forms and filtering

Add interactive forms for filtering and configuration within TUI views

Overview

📝 SELF-UPDATING DOCUMENT: This skill automatically updates itself when inaccuracies are discovered or new patterns are learned. Always verify information against the actual codebase and update this file when needed.

Overview

This skill provides instructions for creating and maintaining Terminal User Interface (TUI) views in the Hatchet CLI using bubbletea and lipgloss. The TUI system uses a modular view architecture where individual views are isolated in separate files within the views/ directory.

IMPORTANT: Always start by finding the corresponding view in the frontend application to understand the structure, columns, and API calls.

Self-Updating Skill Instructions

CRITICAL - READ FIRST: This skill document is designed to be continuously improved and kept accurate.

When to Update This Skill

You MUST update this skill file in the following situations:

  1. Discovering Inaccuracies

    • When you find incorrect file paths or directory structures
    • When code examples don’t compile or don’t match actual implementations
    • When API signatures have changed
    • When referenced files don’t exist at specified locations
  2. Learning New Patterns

    • When implementing a new view and discovering better approaches
    • When the user teaches you new conventions or patterns
    • When you find reusable patterns that should be documented
    • When you discover common pitfalls that should be warned about
  3. Finding Missing Information

    • When you need information that isn’t documented here
    • When new components or utilities are added to the codebase
    • When new bubbletea/lipgloss patterns are adopted
  4. User Corrections

    • When the user corrects any information in this document
    • When the user provides updated approaches or conventions
    • When the user points out outdated information

How to Update This Skill

When updating this skill:

  1. Verify Before Adding: Always verify paths, code, and API signatures against the actual codebase before adding to this document
  2. Use Read/Glob/Grep: Check the actual files to ensure accuracy
  3. Test Code Examples: Ensure code examples compile and follow current patterns
  4. Be Specific: Include exact file paths, function signatures, and working code examples
  5. Update Immediately: Make updates as soon as inaccuracies are discovered, not at the end of a session
  6. Preserve Structure: Maintain the existing document structure and formatting
  7. Add Context: When adding new sections, explain why the pattern is recommended

Verification Checklist

Before using information from this skill, verify:

  • File paths exist and are correct
  • Code examples match current implementations
  • API signatures match the generated REST client
  • Reusable components are correctly referenced
  • Directory structures are accurate

Self-Correction Process

If you discover an inaccuracy while working:

  1. Immediately note the issue
  2. Verify the correct information by reading the actual files
  3. Update this skill document with the correction
  4. Continue with the user’s task using the corrected information

Remember: This skill should be a living document that grows more accurate and comprehensive with each use.

Project Context

  • Framework: bubbletea (TUI framework)
  • Styling: lipgloss (style definitions)
  • TUI Command Location: cmd/hatchet-cli/cli/tui.go
  • Views Location: cmd/hatchet-cli/cli/tui/ directory
  • Theme: Pre-defined Hatchet theme in cmd/hatchet-cli/cli/internal/styles/styles.go
  • Frontend Reference: frontend/app/src/pages/main/v1/ directory

Finding Frontend Prior Art

CRITICAL FIRST STEP: Before implementing any TUI view, locate the corresponding frontend view to understand:

  1. Column structure and names
  2. API endpoints and query parameters
  3. Data types and fields used
  4. Filtering and sorting logic

Process for Finding Frontend Reference:

  1. Locate the Frontend View

    1# Navigate to frontend pages
    2cd frontend/app/src/pages/main/v1/
    3
    4# Find views related to your feature (e.g., workflow-runs, tasks, events)
    5ls -la
    
  2. Study the Column Definitions

    • Look for files like {feature}-columns.tsx
    • Note the column keys, titles, and accessors
    • Example: frontend/app/src/pages/main/v1/workflow-runs-v1/components/v1/task-runs-columns.tsx
    1export const TaskRunColumn = {
    2  taskName: "Task Name",
    3  status: "Status",
    4  workflow: "Workflow",
    5  createdAt: "Created At",
    6  startedAt: "Started At",
    7  duration: "Duration",
    8};
    
  3. Identify the Data Hook

    • Look for use-{feature}.tsx files in the hooks/ directory
    • These contain the API query logic
    • Example: frontend/app/src/pages/main/v1/workflow-runs-v1/hooks/use-runs.tsx
  4. Find the API Query

    • Check frontend/app/src/lib/api/queries.ts for the query definition
    • Note the endpoint name and parameters
    • Example:
    1v1WorkflowRuns: {
    2  list: (tenant: string, query: V2ListWorkflowRunsQuery) => ({
    3    queryKey: ['v1:workflow-run:list', tenant, query],
    4    queryFn: async () => (await api.v1WorkflowRunList(tenant, query)).data,
    5  }),
    6}
    
  5. Map to Go REST Client

    • The frontend api.v1WorkflowRunList() maps to Go’s client.API().V1WorkflowRunListWithResponse()
    • Frontend query parameters map to Go struct parameters
    • Example mapping:
     1// Frontend
     2api.v1WorkflowRunList(tenantId, {
     3  offset: 0,
     4  limit: 100,
     5  since: createdAfter,
     6  only_tasks: true,
     7})
     8
     9// Go equivalent
    10client.API().V1WorkflowRunListWithResponse(
    11  ctx,
    12  client.TenantId(),
    13  &rest.V1WorkflowRunListParams{
    14    Offset: int64Ptr(0),
    15    Limit: int64Ptr(100),
    16    Since: &since,
    17    OnlyTasks: true,
    18  },
    19)
    

Example: Implementing Tasks View from Frontend Reference

  1. Frontend Structure: frontend/app/src/pages/main/v1/workflow-runs-v1/

    • Columns: task-runs-columns.tsx
    • Hook: use-runs.tsx
    • Table: runs-table.tsx
  2. Extract Column Names:

    1taskName, status, workflow, createdAt, startedAt, duration;
    
  3. Identify API Call:

    1queries.v1WorkflowRuns.list(tenantId, {
    2  offset,
    3  limit,
    4  statuses,
    5  workflow_ids,
    6  since,
    7  until,
    8  only_tasks: true,
    9});
    
  4. Implement in TUI:

     1// Create matching columns
     2columns := []table.Column{
     3  {Title: "Task Name", Width: 30},
     4  {Title: "Status", Width: 12},
     5  {Title: "Workflow", Width: 25},
     6  {Title: "Created At", Width: 16},
     7  {Title: "Started At", Width: 16},
     8  {Title: "Duration", Width: 12},
     9}
    10
    11// Call matching API endpoint
    12response, err := client.API().V1WorkflowRunListWithResponse(
    13  ctx,
    14  client.TenantId(),
    15  &rest.V1WorkflowRunListParams{
    16    Offset: int64Ptr(0),
    17    Limit: int64Ptr(100),
    18    Since: &since,
    19    OnlyTasks: true,
    20  },
    21)
    

Reusable Components (CRITICAL - READ FIRST)

IMPORTANT: All TUI views MUST use the standardized reusable components defined in view.go to ensure consistency across the application. DO NOT copy-paste header/footer styling code.

Header Component

CRITICAL: ALL headers throughout the TUI use the magenta highlight color (styles.HighlightColor) for the title to provide consistent visual emphasis across all views (primary views, detail views, modals, etc.).

For Detail Views and Modals

Always use RenderHeader() for detail views, modals, and secondary screens:

1header := RenderHeader("Workflow Details", v.Ctx.ProfileName, v.Width)
2header := RenderHeader("Task Details", v.Ctx.ProfileName, v.Width)
3header := RenderHeader("Filter Tasks", v.Ctx.ProfileName, v.Width)

For Primary Views

Use RenderHeaderWithViewIndicator() for primary/list views:

1// For primary list views - shows just the view name, no repetitive "Hatchet Workflows [Workflows]"
2header := RenderHeaderWithViewIndicator("Runs", v.Ctx.ProfileName, v.Width)
3header := RenderHeaderWithViewIndicator("Workflows", v.Ctx.ProfileName, v.Width)

This function renders just the view name (e.g., “Runs” or “Workflows”) in the highlight color, keeping it simple and non-repetitive.

Features of both header functions:

  • Title rendered in magenta highlight color (styles.HighlightColor) - consistent across ALL views
  • Includes the logo (text-based: “HATCHET TUI”) on the right
  • Shows profile name
  • Bordered bottom edge
  • Responsive to terminal width

❌ NEVER do this:

 1// Bad: Copy-pasting header styles
 2headerStyle := lipgloss.NewStyle().
 3    Bold(true).
 4    Foreground(styles.AccentColor).
 5    BorderStyle(lipgloss.NormalBorder()).
 6    // ... more styling
 7header := headerStyle.Render(fmt.Sprintf("My View - Profile: %s", profile))
 8
 9// Bad: Calling RenderHeaderWithLogo directly (bypasses highlight color)
10header := RenderHeaderWithLogo(fmt.Sprintf("My View - Profile: %s", profile), v.Width)

✅ ALWAYS do this:

1// Good: Use the reusable component for detail views
2header := RenderHeader("Task Details", v.Ctx.ProfileName, v.Width)
3
4// Good: Use the view indicator variant for primary views
5header := RenderHeaderWithViewIndicator("Runs", v.Ctx.ProfileName, v.Width)

Instructions Component

Use RenderInstructions() to display contextual help text:

1instructions := RenderInstructions(
2    "Your instructions here  •  Use bullets to separate items",
3    v.Width,
4)

Features:

  • Muted color styling for reduced visual noise
  • Automatically handles width constraints
  • Consistent padding
  • Uses bullet separators (•)

Always use RenderFooter() for navigation/control hints:

1footer := RenderFooter([]string{
2    "↑/↓: Navigate",
3    "Enter: Select",
4    "Esc: Cancel",
5    "q: Quit",
6}, v.Width)

Features:

  • Consistent styling with top border
  • Automatically joins control items with bullets (•)
  • Muted color for non-intrusive display
  • Responsive to terminal width

Standard View Structure

Every view should follow this consistent structure:

 1func (v *YourView) View() string {
 2    var b strings.Builder
 3
 4    // 1. Header (always) - USE REUSABLE COMPONENT
 5    header := RenderHeader("View Title", v.Ctx.ProfileName, v.Width)
 6    b.WriteString(header)
 7    b.WriteString("\n\n")
 8
 9    // 2. Instructions (when helpful) - USE REUSABLE COMPONENT
10    instructions := RenderInstructions("Your instructions", v.Width)
11    b.WriteString(instructions)
12    b.WriteString("\n\n")
13
14    // 3. Main content
15    // ... your view-specific content ...
16
17    // 4. Footer (always) - USE REUSABLE COMPONENT
18    footer := RenderFooter([]string{
19        "control1: Action1",
20        "control2: Action2",
21    }, v.Width)
22    b.WriteString(footer)
23
24    return b.String()
25}

Architecture

Root TUI Model (tui.go)

The root TUI command is responsible for:

  1. Profile selection and validation
  2. Initializing the Hatchet client
  3. Creating the view context
  4. Managing the current view
  5. Delegating updates to views

View System (views/ directory)

Each view is a separate file that implements the View interface:

  • view.go - Base view interface, context, and reusable components
  • {viewname}.go - Individual view implementations (e.g., tasks.go)

Core Principles

1. File Structure

TUI Command File

  • File: cmd/hatchet-cli/cli/tui.go
  • Purpose: Command setup, profile selection, client initialization, view management

View Files

  • Location: cmd/hatchet-cli/cli/tui/
  • Files:
    • view.go - View interface and base types
    • {viewname}.go - Individual view implementations

2. View Interface

All views must implement this interface (defined in views/view.go):

 1package views
 2
 3import (
 4	tea "github.com/charmbracelet/bubbletea"
 5	"github.com/hatchet-dev/hatchet/pkg/client"
 6)
 7
 8// ViewContext contains the shared context passed to all views
 9type ViewContext struct {
10	// Profile name for display
11	ProfileName string
12
13	// Hatchet client for API calls
14	Client client.Client
15
16	// Terminal dimensions
17	Width  int
18	Height int
19}
20
21// View represents a TUI view component
22type View interface {
23	// Init initializes the view and returns any initial commands
24	Init() tea.Cmd
25
26	// Update handles messages and updates the view state
27	Update(msg tea.Msg) (View, tea.Cmd)
28
29	// View renders the view to a string
30	View() string
31
32	// SetSize updates the view dimensions
33	SetSize(width, height int)
34}

3. Base Model Pattern

Use BaseModel for common view fields:

 1// BaseModel contains common fields for all views
 2type BaseModel struct {
 3	Ctx    ViewContext
 4	Width  int
 5	Height int
 6	Err    error
 7}
 8
 9// Your view embeds BaseModel
10type YourView struct {
11	BaseModel
12	// Your view-specific fields
13	table table.Model
14	items []YourDataType
15}

4. Creating a New View

Step 1: Create View File

Create cmd/hatchet-cli/cli/tui/{viewname}.go:

 1package views
 2
 3import (
 4	tea "github.com/charmbracelet/bubbletea"
 5	"github.com/hatchet-dev/hatchet/cmd/hatchet-cli/cli/internal/styles"
 6	"github.com/hatchet-dev/hatchet/pkg/client/rest"
 7)
 8
 9type YourView struct {
10	BaseModel
11	// View-specific fields
12}
13
14// NewYourView creates a new instance of your view
15func NewYourView(ctx ViewContext) *YourView {
16	v := &YourView{
17		BaseModel: BaseModel{
18			Ctx: ctx,
19		},
20	}
21
22	// Initialize view components
23
24	return v
25}
26
27func (v *YourView) Init() tea.Cmd {
28	return nil
29}
30
31func (v *YourView) Update(msg tea.Msg) (View, tea.Cmd) {
32	var cmd tea.Cmd
33
34	switch msg := msg.(type) {
35	case tea.WindowSizeMsg:
36		v.SetSize(msg.Width, msg.Height)
37		return v, nil
38
39	case tea.KeyMsg:
40		switch msg.String() {
41		case "r":
42			// Refresh logic
43			return v, nil
44		}
45	}
46
47	// Update sub-components
48	return v, cmd
49}
50
51func (v *YourView) View() string {
52	if v.Width == 0 {
53		return "Initializing..."
54	}
55
56	// Build your view
57	return "Your view content"
58}
59
60func (v *YourView) SetSize(width, height int) {
61	v.BaseModel.SetSize(width, height)
62	// Update view-specific components
63}

Step 2: Use View in TUI

The root TUI model manages views:

 1// In tui.go
 2func newTUIModel(profileName string, hatchetClient client.Client) tuiModel {
 3	ctx := views.ViewContext{
 4		ProfileName: profileName,
 5		Client:      hatchetClient,
 6	}
 7
 8	// Initialize with your view
 9	currentView := views.NewYourView(ctx)
10
11	return tuiModel{
12		currentView: currentView,
13	}
14}

5. Client Initialization Pattern

Always initialize the Hatchet client in tui.go:

 1import (
 2	"github.com/rs/zerolog"
 3	"github.com/hatchet-dev/hatchet/pkg/client"
 4)
 5
 6// In the cobra command Run function
 7profile, err := cli.GetProfile(selectedProfile)
 8if err != nil {
 9	cli.Logger.Fatalf("could not get profile '%s': %v", selectedProfile, err)
10}
11
12// Initialize Hatchet client
13nopLogger := zerolog.Nop()
14hatchetClient, err := client.New(
15	client.WithToken(profile.Token),
16	client.WithLogger(&nopLogger),
17)
18if err != nil {
19	cli.Logger.Fatalf("could not create Hatchet client: %v", err)
20}

6. Accessing the Client in Views

The Hatchet client is available through the view context:

 1func (v *YourView) fetchData() tea.Cmd {
 2	return func() tea.Msg {
 3		// Access the client
 4		client := v.Ctx.Client
 5
 6		// Make API calls
 7		// response, err := client.API().SomeEndpoint(...)
 8
 9		return yourDataMsg{
10			data: data,
11			err:  err,
12		}
13	}
14}

7. Hatchet Theme Integration

CRITICAL: NEVER hardcode colors or styles in view files. Always use the pre-defined Hatchet theme colors and utilities from cmd/hatchet-cli/cli/internal/styles.

Available Theme Colors

 1import "github.com/hatchet-dev/hatchet/cmd/hatchet-cli/cli/internal/styles"
 2
 3// Primary theme colors:
 4// - styles.AccentColor
 5// - styles.PrimaryColor
 6// - styles.SuccessColor
 7// - styles.HighlightColor
 8// - styles.MutedColor
 9// - styles.Blue, styles.Cyan, styles.Magenta
10
11// Status colors (matching frontend badge variants):
12// - styles.StatusSuccessColor / styles.StatusSuccessBg
13// - styles.StatusFailedColor / styles.StatusFailedBg
14// - styles.StatusInProgressColor / styles.StatusInProgressBg
15// - styles.StatusQueuedColor / styles.StatusQueuedBg
16// - styles.StatusCancelledColor / styles.StatusCancelledBg
17// - styles.ErrorColor
18
19// Available styles:
20// - styles.H1, styles.H2
21// - styles.Bold, styles.Italic
22// - styles.Primary, styles.Accent, styles.Success
23// - styles.Code
24// - styles.Box, styles.InfoBox, styles.SuccessBox

Status Rendering

Per-Cell Coloring in Tables: Use the custom TableWithStyleFunc wrapper to enable per-cell styling.

For status rendering in tables:

 1// Create table with StyleFunc support
 2t := NewTableWithStyleFunc(
 3    table.WithColumns(columns),
 4    table.WithFocused(true),
 5    table.WithHeight(20),
 6)
 7
 8// Set StyleFunc for per-cell styling
 9t.SetStyleFunc(func(row, col int) lipgloss.Style {
10    // Column 1 is the status column
11    if col == 1 && row < len(v.tasks) {
12        statusStyle := styles.GetV1TaskStatusStyle(v.tasks[row].Status)
13        return lipgloss.NewStyle().Foreground(statusStyle.Foreground)
14    }
15    return lipgloss.NewStyle()
16})
17
18// In updateTableRows, use plain text (StyleFunc applies colors)
19statusStyle := styles.GetV1TaskStatusStyle(task.Status)
20status := statusStyle.Text  // "Succeeded", "Failed", etc.

For non-table contexts (headers, footers, standalone text):

1// Render V1TaskStatus with proper colors
2status := styles.RenderV1TaskStatus(task.Status)
3
4// Render error messages
5errorMsg := styles.RenderError(fmt.Sprintf("Error: %v", err))

Why custom TableWithStyleFunc?

  • Standard bubbles table doesn’t support per-cell or per-column styling
  • TableWithStyleFunc wraps bubbles table and adds StyleFunc support
  • StyleFunc allows dynamic cell styling based on row/column index
  • Located in cmd/hatchet-cli/cli/tui/table_custom.go
  • Maintains bubbles table interactivity (cursor, selection, keyboard nav)

Table Styling

 1s := table.DefaultStyles()
 2s.Header = s.Header.
 3    BorderStyle(lipgloss.NormalBorder()).
 4    BorderForeground(styles.AccentColor).
 5    BorderBottom(true).
 6    Bold(true).
 7    Foreground(styles.AccentColor)
 8s.Selected = s.Selected.
 9    Foreground(lipgloss.AdaptiveColor{Light: "#ffffff", Dark: "#0A1029"}).
10    Background(styles.Blue).
11    Bold(true)

Note: Use lipgloss.AdaptiveColor even for basic colors like white/black to support light/dark terminals.

Adding New Status Colors

If you need to add new status colors:

  1. Add the color constants to cmd/hatchet-cli/cli/internal/styles/styles.go
  2. Create or update the utility function in cmd/hatchet-cli/cli/internal/styles/status.go
  3. Reference the frontend badge variants in frontend/app/src/components/v1/ui/badge.tsx for color values
  4. Use adaptive colors for light/dark terminal support

8. Standard Keyboard Controls

Use consistent key mappings across all views to provide a predictable user experience.

Global Controls (handled in tui.go)

  • q or ctrl+c: Quit the TUI

View-Specific Controls

Implement these in individual views:

  • Navigation: ↑/↓ or arrow keys for list navigation
  • Selection: Enter to select/confirm
  • Tab Navigation: Tab/Shift+Tab for form fields
  • Cancel: Esc to go back/cancel
  • Refresh: r to manually refresh data
  • Filter: f to open filter modal (where applicable)
  • Debug: d to toggle debug view (see Debug Logging section)
  • Clear: c to clear debug logs (when in debug view)
  • Tab Views: 1, 2, 3, etc. or tab/shift+tab for switching tabs

Important: Always document keyboard controls in the footer using RenderFooter()

9. Layout Components

CRITICAL: Use the reusable components from view.go for headers, instructions, and footers. See “Reusable Components” section above.

✅ Use the reusable component:

1header := RenderHeader("View Title", v.Ctx.ProfileName, v.Width)

❌ DO NOT manually create headers:

1// Bad: Don't do this
2headerStyle := lipgloss.NewStyle().
3    Bold(true).
4    Foreground(styles.AccentColor).
5    // ... (this violates DRY principle)

✅ Use the reusable component:

1footer := RenderFooter([]string{
2    "↑/↓: Navigate",
3    "r: Refresh",
4    "q: Quit",
5}, v.Width)

❌ DO NOT manually create footers:

1// Bad: Don't do this
2footerStyle := lipgloss.NewStyle().
3    Foreground(styles.MutedColor).
4    // ... (this violates DRY principle)

Instructions

✅ Use the reusable component:

1instructions := RenderInstructions("Your helpful instructions here", v.Width)

Stats Bar

Custom stats bars are fine for view-specific metrics:

1statsStyle := lipgloss.NewStyle().
2    Foreground(styles.MutedColor).
3    Padding(0, 1)
4
5stats := statsStyle.Render(fmt.Sprintf(
6    "Total: %d  |  Status1: %d  |  Status2: %d",
7    total, status1Count, status2Count,
8))

10. Data Integration

REST API Types

Use generated REST types from:

1import "github.com/hatchet-dev/hatchet/pkg/client/rest"

Common types:

  • rest.V1TaskSummary
  • rest.V1TaskSummaryList
  • rest.V1WorkflowRun
  • rest.V1WorkflowRunDetails
  • rest.Worker
  • rest.WorkerRuntimeInfo
  • rest.Workflow
  • rest.APIResourceMeta

Async Data Fetching Pattern

 1// Define custom message types in your view file
 2type yourDataMsg struct {
 3    items []YourDataType
 4    err   error
 5}
 6
 7// Create fetch command
 8func (v *YourView) fetchData() tea.Cmd {
 9    return func() tea.Msg {
10        // Use v.Ctx.Client to make API calls
11        // Return yourDataMsg
12    }
13}
14
15// Handle in Update
16case yourDataMsg:
17    v.loading = false
18    if msg.err != nil {
19        v.HandleError(msg.err)
20    } else {
21        v.items = msg.items
22        v.ClearError()
23    }

11. Modal Views

When creating modal overlays (like filter forms or confirmation dialogs):

  1. Still show the header with updated title using RenderHeader()
  2. Show instructions specific to the modal interaction using RenderInstructions()
  3. Show the modal content
  4. Show a footer with modal-specific controls using RenderFooter()

Example Modal Structure:

 1func (v *TasksView) renderFilterModal() string {
 2    var b strings.Builder
 3
 4    // 1. Header - USE REUSABLE COMPONENT
 5    header := RenderHeader("Filter Tasks", v.Ctx.ProfileName, v.Width)
 6    b.WriteString(header)
 7    b.WriteString("\n\n")
 8
 9    // 2. Instructions - USE REUSABLE COMPONENT
10    instructions := RenderInstructions("Configure filters and press Enter to apply", v.Width)
11    b.WriteString(instructions)
12    b.WriteString("\n\n")
13
14    // 3. Modal content (form, etc.)
15    b.WriteString(v.filterForm.View())
16    b.WriteString("\n")
17
18    // 4. Footer - USE REUSABLE COMPONENT
19    footer := RenderFooter([]string{"Enter: Apply", "Esc: Cancel"}, v.Width)
20    b.WriteString(footer)
21
22    return b.String()
23}

Important: Modals should maintain the same visual structure as regular views (header, instructions, content, footer) for consistency.

12. Form Integration

When using huh forms in views:

  1. Set the Hatchet theme: .WithTheme(styles.HatchetTheme())
  2. Integrate forms directly into the main tea.Program (don’t run separate programs)
  3. Handle form completion by checking form.State == huh.StateCompleted
  4. Pass ALL messages to the form when it’s active (not just key messages)

Example:

 1import "github.com/charmbracelet/huh"
 2
 3// In Update()
 4if v.showingFilter && v.filterForm != nil {
 5    // Pass ALL messages to form when active
 6    form, cmd := v.filterForm.Update(msg)
 7    v.filterForm = form.(*huh.Form)
 8
 9    // Check if form completed
10    if v.filterForm.State == huh.StateCompleted {
11        v.showingFilter = false
12        // Process form values
13    }
14
15    return v, cmd
16}

13. Table Component

Using github.com/charmbracelet/bubbles/table:

 1import "github.com/charmbracelet/bubbles/table"
 2
 3// Define columns
 4columns := []table.Column{
 5    {Title: "Column1", Width: 20},
 6    {Title: "Column2", Width: 30},
 7}
 8
 9// Create table
10t := table.New(
11    table.WithColumns(columns),
12    table.WithFocused(true),
13    table.WithHeight(20),
14)
15
16// Apply Hatchet styles
17s := table.DefaultStyles()
18s.Header = s.Header.
19    BorderStyle(lipgloss.NormalBorder()).
20    BorderForeground(styles.AccentColor).
21    BorderBottom(true).
22    Bold(true).
23    Foreground(styles.AccentColor)
24s.Selected = s.Selected.
25    Foreground(lipgloss.AdaptiveColor{Light: "#ffffff", Dark: "#0A1029"}).
26    Background(styles.Blue).
27    Bold(true)
28t.SetStyles(s)
29
30// Update rows
31rows := make([]table.Row, len(items))
32for i, item := range items {
33    rows[i] = table.Row{item.Field1, item.Field2}
34}
35t.SetRows(rows)

14. Table Height Calculations and Layout Optimization

CRITICAL: Proper table height calculation is essential for optimal use of terminal space. Different view types require different calculations based on the UI elements displayed above and below the table.

Standard Height Calculations by View Type

Primary List Views (e.g., runs_list, workflows):

  • Calculation: height - 12
  • Accounts for: header (3 lines), stats bar (2 lines), spacing (2 lines), footer (2 lines), buffer (3 lines)
 1func (v *RunsListView) Update(msg tea.Msg) (View, tea.Cmd) {
 2    switch msg := msg.(type) {
 3    case tea.WindowSizeMsg:
 4        v.SetSize(msg.Width, msg.Height)
 5        v.table.SetHeight(msg.Height - 12)  // Primary view calculation
 6        return v, nil
 7    }
 8    // ...
 9}
10
11func (v *RunsListView) SetSize(width, height int) {
12    v.BaseModel.SetSize(width, height)
13    if height > 12 {
14        v.table.SetHeight(height - 12)
15    }
16}

Detail Views with Additional Info Sections (e.g., workflow_details with workflow info + runs table):

  • Calculation: height - 16 (or adjust based on info section size)
  • Accounts for: header (3 lines), info section (4 lines), section header (2 lines), spacing (2 lines), footer (2 lines), buffer (3 lines)
 1func (v *WorkflowDetailsView) Update(msg tea.Msg) (View, tea.Cmd) {
 2    switch msg := msg.(type) {
 3    case tea.WindowSizeMsg:
 4        v.SetSize(msg.Width, msg.Height)
 5        v.table.SetHeight(msg.Height - 16)  // Detail view with extra info
 6        return v, nil
 7    }
 8    // ...
 9}
10
11func (v *WorkflowDetailsView) SetSize(width, height int) {
12    v.BaseModel.SetSize(width, height)
13    if height > 16 {
14        v.table.SetHeight(height - 16)
15    }
16}

Guidelines for Height Calculation

  1. Count Your UI Elements: List all elements that appear above and below the table
  2. Estimate Line Counts:
    • Header: ~3 lines (with spacing)
    • Stats bar: ~2 lines (with spacing)
    • Section headers: ~2 lines each
    • Info sections: ~3-5 lines depending on content
    • Footer: ~2 lines (with spacing)
    • Buffer: ~2-3 lines for safety
  3. Test at Different Sizes: Verify the table has adequate space at minimum terminal size (80x24)
  4. Iterate if Needed: If the table feels cramped, reduce the height offset by 2-4 lines

Common Mistake: Using the same height calculation for all views without accounting for additional UI elements.

❌ Wrong:

1// Detail view with extra info section but using primary view calculation
2v.table.SetHeight(msg.Height - 12)  // Table will be too large, overlapping footer

✅ Correct:

1// Adjust calculation based on actual UI elements in the view
2v.table.SetHeight(msg.Height - 16)  // Accounts for extra info section

CRITICAL: When a detail view displays a list that’s conceptually similar to a primary list view (e.g., workflow details showing recent runs, same as the main runs list), the columns MUST match exactly to maintain consistency and user expectations.

Why Column Consistency Matters

  1. User Experience: Users expect the same information in the same format across views
  2. Cognitive Load: Consistent columns reduce mental overhead when switching contexts
  3. Visual Familiarity: Same column structure reinforces the relationship between views

Example: Runs List Columns

Primary View (runs_list.go):

1columns := []table.Column{
2    {Title: "Task Name", Width: 30},
3    {Title: "Status", Width: 12},
4    {Title: "Workflow", Width: 25},
5    {Title: "Created At", Width: 16},
6    {Title: "Started At", Width: 16},
7    {Title: "Duration", Width: 12},
8}

Detail View (workflow_details.go showing recent runs for a workflow):

1// MUST use the same columns as runs_list.go
2columns := []table.Column{
3    {Title: "Task Name", Width: 30},
4    {Title: "Status", Width: 12},
5    {Title: "Workflow", Width: 25},      // Keep this even if redundant
6    {Title: "Created At", Width: 16},
7    {Title: "Started At", Width: 16},
8    {Title: "Duration", Width: 12},
9}

Implementing Column Consistency

When implementing a detail view with a related list:

  1. Reference the primary view: Check which columns the primary list view uses
  2. Copy the column structure exactly: Same titles, same order, same widths
  3. Keep all columns: Don’t remove columns even if they seem redundant in the detail context
  4. Update row population: Ensure updateTableRows() populates all columns correctly

❌ Wrong:

1// Workflow details view using different columns than runs list
2columns := []table.Column{
3    {Title: "Name", Width: 40},          // Different title
4    {Title: "Created At", Width: 16},
5    {Title: "Status", Width: 12},        // Different order
6    // Missing: Workflow, Started At, Duration
7}

✅ Correct:

1// Workflow details view matching runs list exactly
2columns := []table.Column{
3    {Title: "Task Name", Width: 30},     // Same titles
4    {Title: "Status", Width: 12},
5    {Title: "Workflow", Width: 25},      // Same order
6    {Title: "Created At", Width: 16},
7    {Title: "Started At", Width: 16},
8    {Title: "Duration", Width: 12},      // All columns included
9}

16. View Navigation and Modal Selector

The TUI uses a navigation stack system for drilling down into details and a modal selector for switching between primary views.

The root TUI model maintains a viewStack for back navigation:

1type tuiModel struct {
2    currentView       tui.View
3    viewStack         []tui.View     // Stack for back navigation
4    // ...
5}

Navigating to a Detail View:

 1case tui.NavigateToWorkflowMsg:
 2    // Push current view onto stack
 3    m.viewStack = append(m.viewStack, m.currentView)
 4
 5    // Create and initialize detail view
 6    detailView := tui.NewWorkflowDetailsView(m.ctx, msg.WorkflowID)
 7    detailView.SetSize(m.width, m.height)
 8    m.currentView = detailView
 9
10    return m, detailView.Init()

Navigating Back:

1case tui.NavigateBackMsg:
2    // Pop view from stack
3    if len(m.viewStack) > 0 {
4        m.currentView = m.viewStack[len(m.viewStack)-1]
5        m.viewStack = m.viewStack[:len(m.viewStack)-1]
6        m.currentView.SetSize(m.width, m.height)
7    }
8    return m, nil

In Detail Views (handle Esc key for back navigation):

1case tea.KeyMsg:
2    switch msg.String() {
3    case "esc":
4        // Navigate back to previous view
5        return v, NewNavigateBackMsg()
6    }

The modal selector allows switching between primary views using Shift+Tab:

Opening the Modal:

 1case tea.KeyMsg:
 2    switch msg.String() {
 3    case "shift+tab":
 4        // Find current view type in the list
 5        for i, opt := range availableViews {
 6            if opt.Type == m.currentViewType {
 7                m.selectedViewIndex = i
 8                break
 9            }
10        }
11        m.showViewSelector = true
12        return m, nil
13    }

Modal Navigation (supports Tab, arrow keys, vim keys):

 1if m.showViewSelector {
 2    switch msg.String() {
 3    case "shift+tab", "tab", "down", "j":
 4        // Cycle forward
 5        m.selectedViewIndex = (m.selectedViewIndex + 1) % len(availableViews)
 6        return m, nil
 7    case "up", "k":
 8        // Cycle backward
 9        m.selectedViewIndex = (m.selectedViewIndex - 1 + len(availableViews)) % len(availableViews)
10        return m, nil
11    case "enter":
12        // Confirm selection and switch view
13        selectedType := availableViews[m.selectedViewIndex].Type
14        if selectedType != m.currentViewType {
15            // Only switch if in a primary view
16            if m.isInPrimaryView() {
17                m.currentViewType = selectedType
18                m.currentView = m.createViewForType(selectedType)
19                m.currentView.SetSize(m.width, m.height)
20                m.showViewSelector = false
21                return m, m.currentView.Init()
22            }
23        }
24        m.showViewSelector = false
25        return m, nil
26    case "esc":
27        // Cancel without switching
28        m.showViewSelector = false
29        return m, nil
30    }
31    return m, nil
32}

Rendering the Modal:

 1func (m tuiModel) renderViewSelector() string {
 2    var b strings.Builder
 3
 4    // Use reusable header component
 5    header := tui.RenderHeader("Select View", m.ctx.ProfileName, m.width)
 6    b.WriteString(header)
 7    b.WriteString("\n\n")
 8
 9    // Instructions
10    instructions := tui.RenderInstructions(
11        "↑/↓ or Tab: Navigate  •  Enter: Confirm  •  Esc: Cancel",
12        m.width,
13    )
14    b.WriteString(instructions)
15    b.WriteString("\n\n")
16
17    // View options with highlighting
18    for i, opt := range availableViews {
19        if i == m.selectedViewIndex {
20            // Highlighted option
21            selectedStyle := lipgloss.NewStyle().
22                Foreground(lipgloss.AdaptiveColor{Light: "#ffffff", Dark: "#0A1029"}).
23                Background(styles.Blue).
24                Bold(true).
25                Padding(0, 2)
26
27            b.WriteString(selectedStyle.Render(fmt.Sprintf("▶ %s - %s", opt.Name, opt.Description)))
28        } else {
29            // Non-highlighted option
30            normalStyle := lipgloss.NewStyle().
31                Foreground(styles.MutedColor).
32                Padding(0, 2)
33
34            b.WriteString(normalStyle.Render(fmt.Sprintf("  %s - %s", opt.Name, opt.Description)))
35        }
36        b.WriteString("\n")
37    }
38
39    // Footer
40    footer := tui.RenderFooter([]string{
41        "Tab: Cycle",
42        "Enter: Confirm",
43        "Esc: Cancel",
44    }, m.width)
45    b.WriteString("\n")
46    b.WriteString(footer)
47
48    return b.String()
49}

Key Principles:

  1. Navigation Stack: Use for hierarchical navigation (list → detail → back)
  2. Modal Selector: Use for switching between top-level views
  3. Primary View Check: Only allow view switching when not in a detail view
  4. Consistent Key Bindings:
    • Shift+Tab: Open view selector
    • Esc: Go back (in detail views) or cancel (in modals)
    • Enter: Select item or confirm action
    • Arrow keys/vim keys: Navigate within lists and modals

Common Patterns

Formatting Utilities

Duration Formatting

 1func formatDuration(ms int) string {
 2    duration := time.Duration(ms) * time.Millisecond
 3    if duration < time.Second {
 4        return fmt.Sprintf("%dms", ms)
 5    }
 6    seconds := duration.Seconds()
 7    if seconds < 60 {
 8        return fmt.Sprintf("%.1fs", seconds)
 9    }
10    minutes := int(seconds / 60)
11    secs := int(seconds) % 60
12    return fmt.Sprintf("%dm%ds", minutes, secs)
13}

ID Truncation

1func truncateID(id string, length int) string {
2    if len(id) > length {
3        return id[:length]
4    }
5    return id
6}

Status Rendering

IMPORTANT: Do not manually style statuses. Use the status utility functions:

 1// For V1TaskStatus (from REST API)
 2status := styles.RenderV1TaskStatus(task.Status)
 3
 4// The utility automatically handles:
 5// - COMPLETED -> Green "Succeeded"
 6// - FAILED -> Red "Failed"
 7// - CANCELLED -> Orange "Cancelled"
 8// - RUNNING -> Yellow "Running"
 9// - QUEUED -> Gray "Queued"
10// All colors match frontend badge variants

Auto-refresh Pattern

 1// Define tick message in your view file
 2type tickMsg time.Time
 3
 4// Create tick command
 5func tick() tea.Cmd {
 6    return tea.Tick(5*time.Second, func(t time.Time) tea.Msg {
 7        return tickMsg(t)
 8    })
 9}
10
11// Handle in Update
12case tickMsg:
13    // Refresh data
14    return v, tea.Batch(v.fetchData(), tick())

Debug Logging Pattern

Important: For views that make API calls or have complex state management, implement a debug logging system using a ring buffer to prevent memory leaks.

Step 1: Create Debug Logger (if not exists)

Create cmd/hatchet-cli/cli/tui/debug.go:

 1package views
 2
 3import (
 4	"fmt"
 5	"sync"
 6	"time"
 7)
 8
 9// DebugLog represents a single debug log entry
10type DebugLog struct {
11	Timestamp time.Time
12	Message   string
13}
14
15// DebugLogger is a fixed-size ring buffer for debug logs
16type DebugLogger struct {
17	mu       sync.RWMutex
18	logs     []DebugLog
19	capacity int
20	index    int
21	size     int
22}
23
24// NewDebugLogger creates a new debug logger with the specified capacity
25func NewDebugLogger(capacity int) *DebugLogger {
26	return &DebugLogger{
27		logs:     make([]DebugLog, capacity),
28		capacity: capacity,
29		index:    0,
30		size:     0,
31	}
32}
33
34// Log adds a new log entry to the ring buffer
35func (d *DebugLogger) Log(format string, args ...interface{}) {
36	d.mu.Lock()
37	defer d.mu.Unlock()
38
39	d.logs[d.index] = DebugLog{
40		Timestamp: time.Now(),
41		Message:   fmt.Sprintf(format, args...),
42	}
43
44	d.index = (d.index + 1) % d.capacity
45	if d.size < d.capacity {
46		d.size++
47	}
48}
49
50// GetLogs returns all logs in chronological order
51func (d *DebugLogger) GetLogs() []DebugLog {
52	d.mu.RLock()
53	defer d.mu.RUnlock()
54
55	if d.size == 0 {
56		return []DebugLog{}
57	}
58
59	result := make([]DebugLog, d.size)
60
61	if d.size < d.capacity {
62		// Buffer not full yet, logs are from 0 to index-1
63		copy(result, d.logs[:d.size])
64	} else {
65		// Buffer is full, logs wrap around
66		// Copy from index to end (older logs)
67		n := copy(result, d.logs[d.index:])
68		// Copy from start to index (newer logs)
69		copy(result[n:], d.logs[:d.index])
70	}
71
72	return result
73}
74
75// Clear removes all logs
76func (d *DebugLogger) Clear() {
77	d.mu.Lock()
78	defer d.mu.Unlock()
79
80	d.index = 0
81	d.size = 0
82}
83
84// Size returns the current number of logs
85func (d *DebugLogger) Size() int {
86	d.mu.RLock()
87	defer d.mu.RUnlock()
88	return d.size
89}
90
91// Capacity returns the maximum capacity
92func (d *DebugLogger) Capacity() int {
93	return d.capacity
94}

Step 2: Integrate Debug Logger in Your View

 1type YourView struct {
 2	BaseModel
 3	// ... other fields
 4	debugLogger *DebugLogger
 5	showDebug   bool // Whether to show debug overlay
 6}
 7
 8func NewYourView(ctx ViewContext) *YourView {
 9	v := &YourView{
10		BaseModel: BaseModel{
11			Ctx: ctx,
12		},
13		debugLogger: NewDebugLogger(5000), // 5000 log entries max
14		showDebug:   false,
15	}
16
17	v.debugLogger.Log("YourView initialized")
18
19	return v
20}

Step 3: Add Debug Logging Throughout View

 1// Log important events
 2func (v *YourView) fetchData() tea.Cmd {
 3	return func() tea.Msg {
 4		v.debugLogger.Log("Fetching data...")
 5
 6		// Make API call
 7		response, err := v.Ctx.Client.API().SomeEndpoint(...)
 8
 9		if err != nil {
10			v.debugLogger.Log("Error fetching data: %v", err)
11			return dataMsg{err: err}
12		}
13
14		v.debugLogger.Log("Successfully fetched %d items", len(response.Items))
15		return dataMsg{data: response.Items}
16	}
17}

Step 4: Add Toggle Key Handler

 1func (v *YourView) Update(msg tea.Msg) (View, tea.Cmd) {
 2	switch msg := msg.(type) {
 3	case tea.KeyMsg:
 4		switch msg.String() {
 5		case "d":
 6			// Toggle debug view
 7			v.showDebug = !v.showDebug
 8			v.debugLogger.Log("Debug view toggled: %v", v.showDebug)
 9			return v, nil
10		case "c":
11			// Clear debug logs (only when in debug view)
12			if v.showDebug {
13				v.debugLogger.Clear()
14				v.debugLogger.Log("Debug logs cleared")
15			}
16			return v, nil
17		}
18	}
19	// ... rest of update logic
20}

Step 5: Implement Debug View Rendering

 1func (v *YourView) View() string {
 2	if v.Width == 0 {
 3		return "Initializing..."
 4	}
 5
 6	// If debug view is enabled, show debug overlay
 7	if v.showDebug {
 8		return v.renderDebugView()
 9	}
10
11	// ... normal view rendering
12}
13
14func (v *YourView) renderDebugView() string {
15	logs := v.debugLogger.GetLogs()
16
17	// Header
18	headerStyle := lipgloss.NewStyle().
19		Bold(true).
20		Foreground(styles.AccentColor).
21		BorderStyle(lipgloss.NormalBorder()).
22		BorderBottom(true).
23		BorderForeground(styles.AccentColor).
24		Width(v.Width-4).
25		Padding(0, 1)
26
27	header := headerStyle.Render(fmt.Sprintf(
28		"Debug Logs - %d/%d entries",
29		v.debugLogger.Size(),
30		v.debugLogger.Capacity(),
31	))
32
33	// Log entries
34	logStyle := lipgloss.NewStyle().
35		Padding(0, 1).
36		Width(v.Width - 4)
37
38	var b strings.Builder
39	b.WriteString(header)
40	b.WriteString("\n\n")
41
42	// Calculate how many logs we can show
43	maxLines := v.Height - 8 // Reserve space for header, footer, controls
44	if maxLines < 1 {
45		maxLines = 1
46	}
47
48	// Show most recent logs first
49	startIdx := 0
50	if len(logs) > maxLines {
51		startIdx = len(logs) - maxLines
52	}
53
54	for i := startIdx; i < len(logs); i++ {
55		log := logs[i]
56		timestamp := log.Timestamp.Format("15:04:05.000")
57		logLine := fmt.Sprintf("[%s] %s", timestamp, log.Message)
58		b.WriteString(logStyle.Render(logLine))
59		b.WriteString("\n")
60	}
61
62	// Footer with controls
63	footerStyle := lipgloss.NewStyle().
64		Foreground(styles.MutedColor).
65		BorderStyle(lipgloss.NormalBorder()).
66		BorderTop(true).
67		BorderForeground(styles.AccentColor).
68		Width(v.Width-4).
69		Padding(0, 1)
70
71	controls := footerStyle.Render("d: Close Debug  |  c: Clear Logs  |  q: Quit")
72	b.WriteString("\n")
73	b.WriteString(controls)
74
75	return b.String()
76}

Add debug controls to your normal view footer:

1controls := footerStyle.Render("↑/↓: Navigate  |  r: Refresh  |  d: Debug  |  q: Quit")

Benefits:

  • Fixed-size ring buffer prevents memory leaks
  • Thread-safe with mutex protection
  • Toggle on/off without restarting TUI
  • Helps diagnose API issues and state changes
  • No performance impact when not viewing logs

Testing Approach

Dummy Data Generation

During development, create dummy data generators in your view file:

 1func generateDummyData() []YourDataType {
 2    now := time.Now()
 3    return []YourDataType{
 4        {
 5            Field1: "value1",
 6            Field2: "value2",
 7            CreatedAt: now.Add(-5 * time.Minute),
 8        },
 9        // ... more dummy items
10    }
11}

Example Reference

File Structure Example

cmd/hatchet-cli/cli/
├── tui.go                    # Root TUI command
└── views/
    ├── view.go               # View interface and base types
    ├── tasks.go              # Tasks view implementation
    └── workflows.go          # Workflows view implementation (future)

Complete View Example

See cmd/hatchet-cli/cli/tui/tasks.go for a complete implementation.

Compilation and Testing

CRITICAL: Always ensure the CLI binary compiles before considering work complete.

Compilation Check

After implementing or modifying any view:

1# Build the CLI binary
2go build -o /tmp/hatchet-test ./cmd/hatchet-cli
3
4# Check for errors
5echo $?  # Should be 0 for success

Common Compilation Issues

  1. UUID Type Mismatches

    1// ❌ Wrong - string to UUID
    2client.API().SomeMethod(ctx, client.TenantId(), ...)
    3
    4// ✅ Correct - parse and convert
    5tenantUUID, err := uuid.Parse(client.TenantId())
    6if err != nil {
    7    return msg{err: fmt.Errorf("invalid tenant ID: %w", err)}
    8}
    9client.API().SomeMethod(ctx, openapi_types.UUID(tenantUUID), ...)
    
  2. Required Imports

    1import (
    2    "github.com/google/uuid"
    3    openapi_types "github.com/oapi-codegen/runtime/types"
    4)
    
  3. Type Conversions for API Params

    • *int64 not *int for offset/limit
    • time.Time not *time.Time for Since parameter (check the generated types)
    • openapi_types.UUID for tenant and workflow IDs
    • Check pkg/client/rest/gen.go for exact parameter types
  4. Pointer Helper Functions

    1func int64Ptr(i int64) *int64 {
    2    return &i
    3}
    

Testing Workflow

  1. Compilation Test

    1go build -o /tmp/hatchet-test ./cmd/hatchet-cli
    
  2. Linting Test

    After the build succeeds, run the linting checks:

    1task pre-commit-run
    

    Continue running this command until it succeeds. Fix any linting issues that are reported before proceeding.

  3. Basic Functionality Test

    1# Test with profile selection
    2/tmp/hatchet-test tui
    3
    4# Test with specific profile
    5/tmp/hatchet-test tui --profile your-profile
    
  4. Error Handling Test

    • Try without profiles configured
    • Try with invalid profile
    • Test keyboard controls (q, r, arrows)
  5. Visual/Layout Testing

    When implementing a new view:

    • Test at various terminal sizes (minimum 80x24)
    • Ensure header and footer are always visible
    • Verify instructions are clear and helpful
    • Check that navigation controls are consistent with other views
    • Test with both light and dark terminal backgrounds
    • Verify all reusable components render correctly

Checklist for New TUI Views

Before You Start

  • Find the corresponding frontend view in frontend/app/src/pages/main/v1/
  • Identify column structure and API calls from frontend
  • Note the exact API endpoint and parameters used

Creating the View

  • Create new file in cmd/hatchet-cli/cli/tui/{viewname}.go
  • Add required imports (including uuid and openapi_types if needed)
  • Define view struct that embeds BaseModel
  • Create NewYourView(ctx ViewContext) constructor
  • Implement Init() method
  • Implement Update(msg tea.Msg) method
  • Implement View() method following standard structure
  • Implement SetSize(width, height int) method
  • USE REUSABLE COMPONENTS: RenderHeader(), RenderInstructions(), RenderFooter()
  • DO NOT copy-paste header/footer styling code
  • Apply Hatchet theme colors and styles for custom components only
  • Implement view-specific keyboard controls
  • Document all keyboard controls in footer using RenderFooter()
  • Use appropriate REST API types
  • Add error handling using BaseModel.HandleError()
  • Add responsive layout (handle WindowSizeMsg)

API Integration

  • Parse tenant ID to UUID if needed
  • Use correct parameter types (*int64, time.Time, etc.)
  • Handle API response errors
  • Format data for table display
  • Add loading states and error display

Integration and Testing

  • Import view in tui.go
  • Update newTUIModel() to instantiate your view
  • Compile the CLI binary (go build ./cmd/hatchet-cli)
  • Fix any compilation errors
  • Test basic functionality with real profile
  • Test error cases (no profile, invalid profile)
  • Test keyboard controls (q, r, arrows)
  • Update TUI command documentation

Best Practices

  • CRITICAL: Use reusable components (RenderHeader, RenderInstructions, RenderFooter)
  • NEVER copy-paste header/footer styling code - this violates DRY principle
  • Keep view logic isolated in the view file
  • Use ViewContext to access client and profile info
  • Handle all messages gracefully (return v, nil for unhandled)
  • Always check v.Width == 0 before rendering
  • Use consistent styling with other views (use Hatchet theme colors)
  • Document ALL keyboard controls in footer using RenderFooter()
  • Follow the standard view structure (header, instructions, content, footer)
  • Always verify compilation before submitting

Post-Implementation

  • Update this skill document with any new patterns or learnings discovered
  • Document any issues encountered and their solutions
  • Add any new utility functions or patterns to the appropriate sections
  • Verify all code examples and file paths are accurate

Lessons Learned & Updates

This section documents recent learnings and updates to maintain accuracy.

Recent Updates

  • 2026-01-10: Major updates based on workers view implementation and bug fixes:
    • Added workers list view and worker details view as reference implementations
    • Updated common REST API types list to include Worker, WorkerRuntimeInfo, Workflow
    • Documented detail view header patterns (showing specific resource names in titles)
    • Added section on filtering with multi-select forms and custom key maps
    • Documented per-cell table styling using TableWithStyleFunc wrapper
    • Added examples of status badge rendering in detail views
    • Documented navigation messages (NavigateToWorkerMsg pattern)
    • Added column alignment best practices (matching header format strings to row rendering)
    • Workflow TUI implementation updates:
      • Updated header component documentation: ALL headers (primary, detail, modal) now use highlight color for consistency
      • Added RenderHeaderWithViewIndicator() for primary views (shows just view name, non-repetitive)
      • Added section 14: Table Height Calculations and Layout Optimization (height - 12 vs height - 16)
      • Added section 15: Column Consistency Between Related Views (critical for UX)
      • Added section 16: View Navigation and Modal Selector patterns
      • Documented modal selector with Shift+Tab and arrow key support
      • Documented navigation stack pattern for detail view drilling
  • 2026-01-09: Added self-updating instructions and verification checklist
  • Document initialized with comprehensive TUI view building guidelines

Known Issues & Solutions

Issue: Table Column Alignment Mismatches

Problem: Header columns don’t align with table rows due to format string width mismatch.

Example: In run details tasks tab, header used %-3s for selector column but rows only rendered 2 characters ("▸ " or " “), causing status column and all subsequent columns to be misaligned.

Solution: Ensure header format string widths exactly match row rendering:

1// Header format - 2 chars for selector to match "▸ " or "  "
2headerStyle.Render(fmt.Sprintf("%-2s %-30s %-12s", "", "NAME", "STATUS"))
3
4// Row rendering - also 2 chars
5if selected {
6    b.WriteString("▸ ")  // 2 characters
7} else {
8    b.WriteString("  ")  // 2 characters
9}

Prevention: Always count the exact characters rendered in rows and match header format widths precisely.

Issue: Detail View Headers Too Generic

Problem: Detail views showed generic titles like “Task Details” or “Workflow Run Details” without identifying the specific resource being viewed.

Solution: Include the resource name in the header title:

 1// For task details
 2title := "Task Details"
 3if v.task != nil {
 4    title = fmt.Sprintf("Task Details: %s", v.task.DisplayName)
 5}
 6
 7// For workflow details
 8title := "Workflow Details"
 9if v.workflow != nil {
10    title = fmt.Sprintf("Workflow Details: %s", v.workflow.Name)
11}
12
13// For run details
14title := "Run Details"
15if v.details != nil && v.details.Run.DisplayName != "" {
16    title = fmt.Sprintf("Run Details: %s", v.details.Run.DisplayName)
17}

Pattern: Use format "{View Type} Details: {Resource Name}" for all detail views.

Issue: Filter Form Navigation Conflicts

Problem: Global Shift+Tab handler for view switching conflicts with form navigation, preventing Tab/Shift+Tab from working in filter modals.

Solution: Process filter form messages BEFORE checking global key handlers:

 1// In Update(), handle form FIRST
 2if v.showingFilter && v.filterForm != nil {
 3    form, cmd := v.filterForm.Update(msg)
 4    if f, ok := form.(*huh.Form); ok {
 5        v.filterForm = f
 6
 7        if v.filterForm.State == huh.StateCompleted {
 8            // Apply filters
 9            v.selectedStatuses = v.tempStatusFilters
10            v.showingFilter = false
11            v.updateTableRows()
12            return v, nil
13        }
14
15        // Check for ESC to cancel
16        if keyMsg, ok := msg.(tea.KeyMsg); ok {
17            if keyMsg.String() == "esc" {
18                v.showingFilter = false
19                return v, nil
20            }
21        }
22    }
23    return v, cmd
24}
25
26// THEN handle global keys
27switch msg := msg.(type) {
28case tea.KeyMsg:
29    switch msg.String() {
30    case "shift+tab":
31        // Global view switcher
32    }
33}

Pattern: Always delegate to active modal/form components before processing global keyboard shortcuts.

Issue: Filtered Workers Not Reflected in Navigation

Problem: When navigating to worker details via Enter key, code used unfiltered v.workers list instead of filtered list, causing cursor index mismatch with displayed rows.

Solution: Use the filtered/displayed list for navigation:

 1case "enter":
 2    // Use filteredWorkers, not workers
 3    if len(v.filteredWorkers) > 0 {
 4        selectedIdx := v.table.Cursor()
 5        if selectedIdx >= 0 && selectedIdx < len(v.filteredWorkers) {
 6            worker := v.filteredWorkers[selectedIdx]
 7            workerID := worker.Metadata.Id
 8            return v, NewNavigateToWorkerMsg(workerID)
 9        }
10    }

Pattern: Always use the same data source for rendering and navigation. If you cache filtered data for StyleFunc, use that cached data for navigation too.

Future Improvements

(This section will track potential improvements to the TUI system or this skill document)

What Users Are Saying

Real feedback from the community

Environment Matrix

Dependencies

Go 1.19+
github.com/charmbracelet/bubbletea
github.com/charmbracelet/lipgloss
github.com/charmbracelet/bubbles/table
github.com/charmbracelet/huh
github.com/google/uuid
github.com/oapi-codegen/runtime/types

Framework Support

Bubbletea TUI framework ✓ (recommended) Lipgloss styling library ✓ Bubbles components ✓ Huh forms library ✓

Context Window

Token Usage ~5K-10K tokens for comprehensive view implementations

Security & Privacy

Information

Author
hatchet-dev
Updated
2026-01-30
Category
cli-tools